Search - Don Byas :: Melody in Swing, 1941-1945

A first rank Tenor

nadav haber | jerusalem Israel | 11/10/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Don Byas was a great tenor man. After 1946 he spent most of his time in Europe, a fact that I believe limited his contact with the major developments in jazz, and stood in his way of becoming a more influential and involved figure in jazz history.
These recordings are from 1941-1945, and present Byas in pre-bop settings. He had a big but mellow sound, and was a master of harmony and chord changes. His playing does not move me as much as that of Lester Young's from that same period, but it is moving, and on each track I found myself waiting for his solo, and always finding it satisfying.
To me Byas was at his best playing ballads, which is a sign of true greatness. His ballads here - Smoke Gets In Your eyes, Out Of Nowhere and others, are all done with the technical and emotional mastery that has come to characterize him.
Just for his playing on OUt of Nowhere - this cd would be highly recommended. The rest is great, too."